Gainesville & University of Florida

The City of Gainesville was established in 1853 and selected as the official site of the University of Florida in 1905. The largest city in Alachua County, Gainesville is conveniently located in north central Florida within easy reach of main highways and several international airports, and within driving distance of many of the state’s major metropolitan areas. We’re also a quick trip away from the beach, being halfway between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Our average high temperature in January is a balmy 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

University of Florida sports may be Gainesville’s claim to fame, but that’s not all the town has going. Gainesville ranks 15th among Florida’s most populous cities (with over a quarter of its residents between the ages of 25 and 44) and boasts vibrant food, music, and art cultures. Natural wonders, including spring-fed rivers, hiking and biking trails, and preservation areas, abound in the surrounding landscape, and Gainesville has been a designated Tree City USA community for three decades.

The University of Florida’s campus covers 2,000 acres and has more than 900 buildings. UF’s capital improvement program has resulted in lab and classroom facilities ideal for twenty-first century academics and research in engineering, the health professions, business, and communications.

Did You Know?

The UF campus hosts the largest occupied bat house in North America, which is home to 100,000 bats.

Gatorade, the world’s first and most popular sports drink, was invented at UF in 1965.

Alachua County has the largest number of high-magnitude springs in the world.

The McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity at the Florida Museum of Natural History contains the world’s largest butterfly research center and houses the world’s second largest collection of butterflies and moths.

Gainesville has launched the careers of many musicians and bands, including Stephen Stills, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Sister Hazel, and Against Me!

The Gainesville/Alachua County area was the filming location for Doc Hollywood, The Hawk is Dying, Devil’s Advocate and The Yearling.